Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-19

| listen to the laughing of the watersl Woe is
me, that shall never see my fathers hut
again, nor feel my mothers kiss. nor tend
the Kid that is sick! Woe is me, that no lover
shall put his arms around me and look into
my eyes, nor shall men children be born of
me! Oh, cruel. cruelP; and again she wr1lng
her hands and turned her tear-Stained flow
er-crowned face to heaven, looking so love
Iy In her deSpalr-for she was indeed beau
tIful woman-that it would asSuredly have
melted the heart of any one less cruel than
the three fiendS before Us. Prince Arthur's
appeal to the ruffianS who came to blind him
was not more touching than this savage
girls.
But it did not move Gagool or GagooPs
master, though | saw signs of pity among
the guard behind and on the faces of the
chiefs: and as for Good, he gave sort of
snort of indignation and a motion as though
to go to her. With all a womans quickness
the doomed girl interpreted what was pass
Ing in his mind, and with sudden move
ment flung herself before him, and clasped
his beautiful white legs with her hands.
80 white father from the starSr' she cried.
''throW over me the mantle of thy protec-
ton; let me creep into the shadow of thy
strength, that l may be saved. Oh, keep me
from these cruel men and from the mercies
OF GagoolP'
CALI right, my hearty, I'll look after you,"
sung out Good, in nervous Saxon. Come,
get up, there's good girl" and he stopped
and caught her hand.
Twala turned and motioned to his son,
who advanced with his spear lifted
''Now's your thne," whispered Sir Henry
to me; ''what are you waiting forg''
Il am waiting for the ecIipse," I an.
swered; 81 have had my eye on the sun for
the last half-hour, and never saw it look
healthier"
swell, you must risk it now, or the girl
will be killed. Twala is losing patience"
Recognizing the force of the argument
having cast one more despairing look at the
bright face of the sun, for never did the most
ardent astronomer await a celestial event
with such anxiety, stepped with all the
dignity could command between the pros
trate girl and the advancing spear of
Scragga.
king" l said, ''this shall not be; we will
not tolerate such a thing; let the girl go in
safety"
Twala rose from his seat in his wrath and
astonishment, and from the chiefs and ser
red ranks of girls, who had closed up upon
US in anticipation of the tragedy, came a
murmur Of amaZement.
Shall not be, thou white dog, who yaps
at the lion in the cave, shall not be! art
thou mad? Be careful lest this chickens
fate overtake thee, and those with thee.
How canst thou prevent it? Who art thou
that thou Standest between me and my will?
Withdraw, [ say. Scragga, kill her. Ho,
guards seize the men,"
At this cry armed men came running
swiftly from behind the hut, where they
had evidently been placed beforehand.
Sir Henry, Good, and Umbopa ranged
themselves alongside Of me, and lifted their
rifles.
''StopV' shouted, boldly, though at that
moment my heart was in my boots. ''Stop!
we, the white men from the stars, say that it
shall not be- Come but one pace nearer,
and we will put out the sun and plunge the
land in darkness. Ye shall taste Of our
magic
My threat produced an effect; the men
halted, and Scragga stood still before us, his
spearlifted.
Hear him! hear himp piped GagooI
'hear the liar who says he will put out the
sun like lamp. Let HIM do it, and the girl
shall be spared. Yes, let him do it, or die
with the girl, he and those with him"
L glanced up at the sun, and to my intense
joy saw that we had made no mistake On
the edge of its brilliant surface was faint
rim of shadow.
l lifted my hand sOlemnly toward the sky, |
All example which Sir Henry ana Good fol- |
lowed, and quoted line or two Of the en-
goldsby Legends" at it in the most impress
sive tones l could command Sir Henry fol- |
lowed suit with verse out of the Old Tesla |
ment, whilst Good addressed the King Of
Day in a volume of the most classical bad |
language that he could think of
Slowly the dark rim crept over the blazing
surface, and as it did so i heard deep gasp
81 fear rise from the multitude around